I decided to stop eating meat

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Hi All,

I just read the anouncment. I don't know what it is all about. Mods, if I'm in the wrong place posting this, please move this thread.

On to the issue. Myself and my bf have decided to give up eating meat. My Mother is upset about this decisition and has said that she thinks "I'm changing the status quo". Mum has no problem with people with differing sexual preferences, religions etc. So I'm confused. This is such a tiny thing and I've already said that I'd cook meat for her still (I do most of the cooking).

I've asked her why she seems to be mad at me and she has difficulty answering me. Anyways, can people explain why she may have a problem with this? And is there any ways in which the situation can be eased?

Thanks for your time (This is not an April Fools thing),

LostAlien

If your mother continues to eat meat, she may feel defensive about it. She may fear hearing lectures from you about how eating meat is so bad and how she should be like you. She may also be concerned that you could be starting down a path that leads to developing an eating disorder. Going vegetarian is a great idea as long as you make sure you're getting enough protein and you don't substitute vegetarian-compliant junk food and trans fats for the animal fat. I've never been a total vegetarian because it's not practical to nitpick over ingredients when I go out or eat at family gatherings, but I can definitely see the value in cutting back on how much meat is eaten, and this is done to preserve my own health. I am mildly allergic to some of the high-protein plant-based foods, so I can't go totally vegetarian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hufu

I suppose. Her apparent anger could be her being defensive.

With me and my bf, we suddenly didn't want to eat animals anymore. We still like the taste, it's just a thing of feeling guilty about eating meat. I've subsitiuted quorn so far. I'm researching other things, I think we may need to take suppliments aswell. Do you think the suddeness of it could have caused her problems?

I think people have the right to choose about their own bodies though, so I wouldn't lecture about doing things as I do things.

It might be the sudden change... I do not know. I have found people to respond poorly to my being a vegetarian due to things similar to what sgrannel mentioned. It seems to put people on the defensive... like my choice is not my choice, but rather an insult to theirs. I find it odd as I would also not criticize someone for eating meat, I respect their choice as I wish for respect on my own choice.

Good luck in your research. I was pretty much raised vegetarian and as a result have never been able to properly digest animal... I have tried eating meat, but it makes me sick. There are a lot of resources available now and it is nice. Mostly though, I have appreciated knowing where I can or cannot get food. Like pizza hut... their regular sauce contains beef stock... good stuff to know. I used to wonder why their food made me sick...

It is your choice.
If society does not like it, not
your problem.

If I choose to listen to all my music
in stereo and refuse to listen to it
through a monaural player/amplifier
that is my choice and not any one
else's problem.

That jlast paragraph was only a example
of a choice, I do prefer stereo over
mono but if the sone were recorded in
the 1920s it could not have been produced
in stereo as the equipment of that time
was not advanced enuf.

As others have mentioned, a lot of people feel that vegetarians have an "holier than thou" attitude and are looking down on them. Certainly that is how I felt about vegetarians before I became one. Also I think most people recognize the ethical implications of eating meat and when that choice is held up in front of them, they understandably get defensive.

One thing that could help reduce tension is to emphasize that you have specific health reasons for making this choice and make sure not to emphasize the ethical reasons. Once your mother becomes accustomed to the idea and realizes you are not going to pester her with ethical criticisms, she will likely be less concerned.

You may already know this, but it bares mentioning; you should take vitamin B-12 supplements and perhaps B-Complex and Vitamin D as well since you will not be getting enough and cannot produce B-12 on your own. I have noticed that if I skip taking B-12 for more than one day, I will start getting depressed and when I take it again, the depression lifts within a day.

Lars

I dont really have a problem with vegans as long as they dont lecture me at all, and as long as I can still eat meat around them. Id go pisco-vegatarian myself if i was on my own/things were cheaper and doctors highly recommended that I stick with my current diet as well. One thing though. I cant really get the point of doing it for ethical/moral reasons. We are omnivores with a herbivore slant naturally, but i still recommend balancing meats and vegetables, with focus on the vegetables though, and id say 1 serving of meat to every 3 servings of veg.

That sounds liek the chinese food I eat,
1 to 3

I support your choice.

I choose The Kinks, over The Beatles, and I'm happy with my choice.

my mother reacted similarly when I decided to become a vegan, but I don't really understand why.

I don't eat meat for breakfast or lunch, but for dinner, I'm pressured to eat it. I don't eat red meat, though.

I can't stand the smell of red meat cooking or the feel of raw meat or eggs(except for fish), so when I move out, I won't be eating meat (except for fish) and eggs.

Hmm I see no problem in eating or not eating meat myself as long as you don't try to criticize what I enjoy.

I guess it is what has been said in a few other posts here she may be afraid that you'll become one of those "We holier than thou art" kind of vegetarians.

I applaud you you for being able to make a choice like that so sudden. I love meat too much to give it up myself (I guess my inner animal is a carnivore lol).

I like meat.
I do not like how meat is acquired.
But I doubt anything short of death threats is going to put me off it.
Please do not take this as a suggestion.

Thanks for the support. No worries about me becoming a holier than thou on anything. Everyone has the right to do what they want to their own bodies.

Thanks jagatai for the vitamin suggestion. Would you say it's better to get milk with the extra vitamins in it or to use tablets?

Dossa, do you know if there's a list of who makes what, with what somewhere?

Thanks again everyone. The explainations on her possible viewpoint have helped, as has the support.

try this one

That one is pretty extensive. methinks. It also goes into vegan options and covers things like whey and egg content, if I am not mistaken. Hope it helps you.